Record changing apparatus for phonographs and the like



Jan. 27, 1942. H. J. FORTUNE 2,271,001

RECORD CHANGING APPARATUS FOR PHONOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE Filed D60. 18,1939 '2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 27, 1942. H. J. FORTUNE RECORD CHANGINGAPPARATUS FOR PHONOGRAPHS AND THELIKE Filed Dec. 18, 1939 ZSheecs-Sheet2 Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATE RECORD CHANGING APPARATUS FORPHONOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE Swindon, England, as

Henry James Fortune,

signer to The Garrar facturing- Company Limited, Swindon, Wiltshire,England Application December 18, M

' In Great. Britain January 25, 1939"" 8 Claims. '(01. 274-) Thisinvention relates to record-changing apparatus for phonographsand othersound reproducers of the kind in which records in stack formation arecarried upon a platform or other support which is movable relativelytothe-stack to cause lateral displacement and release of the recordstherefrom. Apparatus of this kind may comprise for example, a movablesupport at one side of the stack and an offset post engaging the centresof the records as described in United States Patent No. 2,063,199 issuedon December 8, 1936, to G. Slater for Automaticgramophone and the like.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a simpleand reliable recordchanging mechanism which is adjustable to takerecords of different diameters. Another object isto provide an improvedand simplified mechanism for setting the pick-up or tone arm of thephonograph or the like for playingrecordsof different diameters.

In the accompanying drawings which show by way of example one convenientmode of carrying the invention into effect,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism for adjusting the position ofthe record support and setting the pick-up arm; v

Figure 2 is an elevation of the said mechanism, viewed in the directionof arrow A;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the pick-up arm showing the mechanism forraising the same,

viewed in the direction of arrow B in Figure 1.

In carrying the invention into efiect according to one convenient modeas applied by way of example to record changing mechanism having .a

central offset post as described in Patent No.

2,063,199 referred to above, for example, the plat form which supportsone edge of the record stack comprises a plate I having a pair ofabutments 2 thereon for engaging the edge of a record and is mounted forsliding movement towards and away from the'centre of the stack. Theplatform itself may be slightly inclined tothe' horizontal asillustrated and is secured to an upright 3 mounted on a frame v4slidable upon a guide rod 5 extending radially with respect to thecentre 1 of the record stack.- The rod 5 is same angle as the platform.

The record stack comprises a series of records RI, R2 and R3 supportedat their edges as aforesaid on the platform and 'at their centers uponofiset -spindle S. The spindle Sis supported in a bearing SI, passesthrough a centrally apertured turntable T, and is curved upwardly, as

inclined at the V shown at S2, to terminate in a straight inclinedEngineering &' Manuportion S3, which is offset with respect to theaforesaid curved portion S2 for forming a pair of shoulders on flats S4and S5 facing upwardly and downwardly respectively; the perpendiculardistance between these flats being slightly greater than the thicknessof a record, the length of the straight inclined portion S3 being suchthat the required number of records can be conventionally accommodatedby threading thereon and the portion of the spindle S which lies betweenthe flats S4 and S5 being oval or flattened in shape.

Secured to one side of the frame 4 is a stud 6 engageable by the teeth Iof a ratchet or drag link 8. One endofthe link 8 is pivotally connectedto a bell crank lever 9 pivoted at In and having on its other arm a studII which bears upwardly on a rotatable plate cam l2. In an apparatusintended for ten inch and'twelve inch records, as is here illustrated,the drag link 8 has two downwardly directed ratchet slots 1, either ofwhich may be engaged with the aforesaid stud 6.- The drag link 8 isurged downwardly by a spring l3, and another spring I4 urges theplatform, frame 4 outwardly. In this .way the drag link' is alwaysmaintained in engagement with the stud. The drag link 8, bell cranklever 9 and plate cam 12 all he substantially in a vertical plane.

A platform setting lever 15 is pivoted at It for movement in ahorizontalplane and has a handle I1 which may be conveniently arrangedto extend through a slot l8.in the plate which conceals the mechanism orin the motor board. This lever has ,an army [9 which is connected to theplatform frame 4 by a slotted link 20 which engageswith a pin 2|. ThearmI9 is formed with an extension 22 which engages with an auxiliary lever23 pivoted on the stud 6. The auxiliary lever 23 has a pin 24 engagedwithina slot 25 in the drag link 8. It will be seen that when the handlell of the setting lever is moved to the left as viewed in Figure 1 theframe 4. will be drawn to the right and will move the platform I towardsthe record stack. The stud 6 on the frame will force the drag'link '8upwardly until it is engaged by'the second ratchet slot. When thesetting lever is moved in the opposite direc tionthe extension' 22thereof engages and lifts the auxiliary lever 23 which thereby raisesthe link -8 and permits the frame "4 to move outwardly under the actionof spring l4 until :the stud 6 engages 'with the further ratchet slot.Aspring 26' secured to'the bell crank lever 9 cam l2.

' The setting lever I! has a arm. 21 nected by a link 28 to a selectorlever 29 pivconoted at III. This 'lever is formed at itsouter end with araised cam surface ll having .portions corresponding to ten inch andtwelve inch positions of the pick-up arm. An arm 32 is piv oted freelyon a mounting 33 to rotate about the axis of the pick-up arm 34, and hasa downwardly directed stud 35 which is engaged with either of.

' hold them in the position shown in Figure 1 1 wherein a tumed-downportion 38 of the am It engages the armfl.

A plate cam}! rotatable in a vertical plane engages a stud 40 on an arm4| pivoted at 42 which engages a turned-down portion 43 of arm 36. Thiscam 39 controls the lateral movements of the pick-up arm in a manner tobe'described. Vertical movement of the pick-up arm is. concomprising aninclined central support as de- 7 scribed in Patent No. 2,063,199;referred to above,

trolled by a lifting rod 44 which engages the underside-of the arm andhas fixed to its lower end a. friction disc 45. This discrests on asecond friction disc 48 secured to a lever 41' pivoted at 48 and havingat its further end a stud 49 en gaged by a rotatable plate camili. Thelifting rod 44 carries a pin 5| engaging a slot, formed in a sleeve 52which rotates with the pick-u arm 34.

The operation of the pick-up actuating and setting mechanism is asfollows. arm 34 is swung outwardly by the plate cam 39 acting throughthe vertical lever 4i on the arm 35; which is connected'to rotate withthe pick-up 1 am. As the arm it moves outwardly the spring 31 istensioned and thearm 32, which is free on, the mounting 33, is alsoforced outwardly until the stud 35' thereof is brought. up against thecam surface ii of the selector lever 29. The

final position of the arm 32 will be determined by the position of theseleetor lever which in turn depends -ripen the position t'o'which themanualsetting handle I! has been moved. As

. the cam 3| continues to rotate the arm II, and

with it the pick-up arm, is returned underthe action'of the spring'lllmtil the lug ll engages the-lever 32 when the inward movement of thepick-up arm will be arrested ina position, deterin which whenthe'pick-up arm is'lowered the stylus will engage the'playim groove of arecord ofthesizeselected'..--

' The raising and lowering 011118 pick-up arm is eifected bythe cam II;acting through the The pick-up it is not confined thereto but may beapplied to any form of record releasing mechanism having a lateralsupport for the records and arranged to release records by inwarddisplacement thereof. I claim:- 4 1. In a record changing apparatus ofthe class described, wherein at different times there are supported attheir centers upon a shouldered spindle in pile formation and in groupsof common diameter, records of one or another diameter, a reciprocablecarrier member adjacent the edges of the records of the pile, andmovable substantially along the .level of the lowermost record of thepile, a guide member along which said carrier member slides, meansconnecting the guide member and the carrier member for biasing thecarrier away A mechanism acting against the tension of said biasingmeans for moving the carrier member towards the spindle, whereby thelowermost rec- 0rd of the piletis abutted at. its edge and dis.- placedfrom the shoulder of the spindle by the carrier member,periodicallyoperable driving member, and a movable link memberadjustably connected at- .elementon one of said members and a series offemale elements on theother of said members with which said male elementmay interlock, and

1 means operatl'vely connected to at least one of.-distancesfromthespindle.

mined by the position of the ll,-

pivoted lever 41. This raises the disc is which is in frictionalentZwith-tbe disc 45. nd thereby lifts the rod toraise the pick-up am;friction betwem the discsulland 4' pre-.

vents the .piek-up arm moved later-- ally accidentallywhenithas been ed'correctly fo'rthe selected record size. The Iris tion is effective;whilethe piek-up arm-is .in'the raised position. Assam asthe weight thefriction oppodng lateral movement. of :the

armisreleasedandtheweightofthelifflngmd" d4'suiiieestokeephdlscsfl.48incontaet.-

It'will be understoodfrom-the preceding de-" that 7 tion provides aver;simpie ,and reliable ;mecbanism for adjusting the l supportfor-different of "cftheplck-uparmhasbemtakenbytherecordf 'themembers ofthe connection for selectively moving the male element of one of themembers into interlocking relationship with one of the female elementsof the other member, whereby to adjustably set the carrier member atdifferent 2. In a apparatus of the class described supported v at. theircenters a sh dered spindle in om formation and in grou s orml'imcordsofoneoranotherdlameter, a

carrierandlinkmunbersamaleele ment onsaid carrier member and'a series offemale elementsonsaidlink member with which said male element may from.the spindle, a

said mechanism comprising a wherein at diil'erenttlmes there. are

interlock, and

operatively connected to at least one of the members of the connectionfor selectively disspindle in pile formation and in groups of commondiameter, records of one or another diameter, a reciprocable carriermember adjacent the edges of the records of the pile, andmovablesubstantially along the level of the lowermost record of the pile, aguide member along which said carrier slides, means connecting the guidemember and the carrier member for biasing the carrier member away fromthe spindle, a mechanism acting against the tension of ,said biasingmeans for moving the carrier member'towards the spindle, whereby thelowermost record of the pile is abutted at its edgeand displaced fromthe shoulder of .the spindle by the carrier mem her, and a movable linkmember adjustably connected atone end to the carrier member and at itsother end disposed in displaceable contact with said driving member,said connection between the carrier and link members comprising alocking projection on said carrier member and a series of notches onsaidlink member in which said locking projection ,may rest, and meansoperatively connected to at least one of the members of the connectionfor selectively displacing the projection of the carrier member into'oneof thenotches of the link member, whereby to adjustably set the carrierat difierent distances from the spindle.

-4. In a record changing apparatus of the class described, wherein atdifierent .times thereare supported at their centers upon a shoulderedspindle, in pile formation and in groups of com- I mon diameter, areciprocable carried mounted to support at theiredges a group of recordsof one diameter, a guide member along-which said carrier member slides,an abutment on said carrier member of the thickness of one record andagainst which the peripheral edge of the lowermost record of the pilerests, means. connecting the guide member and'the carrier. member forbiasing the carrier away from the spindle-amechanism-acting against thetension of said biasing'means for moving the carrier member towards thespindle, whereby the lowermost record of the pile is contacted by' anddisplaced from the shoulder of thespindle' by the abutment of thecarrier member, and a movable link member. adjustably connected at oneend to the carrier member and at its other end disposed in displaceablecontact with said driving member, said connection between the carrierand link members comprising-a male element on' one of said mon diameter,records of one or another diameter, a reciprocable carrier membermounted to support at their edges a group of records of one diameter, aguide member along which said carrier member slides, an abutment on saidcarrier member of the thickness of one record and against which the edgeof the lowermost record of the pile rests, means connecting the guidemember and the carrier member for biasing the carrier member away fromthe spindle, a mechanism acting against the tension of said biasingmeans for moving the carrier member towards the spindle, whereby thelowermost record of the pile is contacted by and displaced from theshoul- J der of the spindle by the abutment on the carrier member, saidmechanism comprising a periodically operable driving member and alaterally movable link member connected at one end to said carriermember and at its other end disposed in displaceable contact with saiddriving member, said connection comprising a locking projection on saidcarrier member and a series of notches on said link member in which saidlocking projection may rest, and means operatively associated with atleast one of the members of the connection for selectively displacingthe projeclion of the carrier member into one of the notches of .thelink member, whereby to adjustably set the carrier member in spacedrelationship to the spindle for supporting record piles of one oranother diameter.

6. In a record changing apparatus of the class described, wherein atdifferent times there are supportedat their centers upon a shoulderedspindle, in pile formation and in groups .of common diameter, records ofone or another diameter, a reciprocable carrier member mounted tosupport at their edges a group of records of one diameter, a guidemember along which said car- 'rier' member slides, an abutment on saidcarrier member of the thickness of one record and against which the edgeof the lowermost record or the pilerests, means connecting the guidemember and the carrier member for biasing the carrier member away fromthe spindle, a mechanism acting against the tension of said biasingmeans for moving the carrier member towards the spindle, whereby the.lowermost record of the pile is contacted by and displaced fromtheshoulder of the spindle bythe abutment on the carrier member, saidmechanism comprising a, periodically operable driving member and alaterally movable link member connected at one end to said carriermember-and at its other end dis-' posed in displaceable contact withsaiddriving member, said connectioncomprising a locking projection onsaid carrier member and a'series of notches on said link member in whichsaid locking projection mayrest, and means operamembers and a femaleelement on the otherof said members with which said male element mayinterlock, and means operatively connected to at least one of themembers of the connection for selectively displacing themale element ofone of the members into interlocking relationship with one of the femaleelements of the other member, whereby to adjustably set the carrier atdifferent distances from the spindle.

5. In a record changing apparatus of the class described, wherein atdifferent times there are supported at their centers upon a shoulderedspindle .inpile formation and in groups of comtively, associated with.at least one of the members of the connection for selectivelydisplacing the projection of the carrier member into one. of the notchesof the link member, whereby to adjustably set the carrier member inspaced relationship to the spindle for supporting record piles of one oranother diameter, and a pin and slot arrangement formed respectivelybetween the carrier member, and the last named means,

whereby the periodic movement of the carrier member for recorddischarging and return, does not alter the setting of the carrier memberin its selected spaced relationship with respectto the spindle.

7. In a record changing apparatus of the class described, wherein atdifferent times there are spindle, in pilettormation and in groups orcommon diameter, records of one or another diameter, a reciprocablecanier member mounted to support at their edges a'group of records ofone diameter, a guide member along which said carrier member slides. anabutment on said carrier member or the thickness of one record andagainst which the edge of the lowermost record of the pile rests, meansconnecting the guide member and the carrier member for biasing thecarrier member away from the spindle, a mechanism acting against thetensionof said biasing means for moving the carrier member towards thespindle, whereby the lowermost. record of the pile is contacted by anddisplaced from the shoulder or the spindle by the abutment on thecarrier ember, said mechanism comprising a periodically operable cam anda laterally movable link member connected at one end to said carriermember and at its other end disposed in riding contact with said cam,said last named connection comprising a locking projection on saidcarrier member and a series of-notches on said link member in which saidlocking projection may rest, and means operatively associated with atleast one oithe members of the connection forselectively displacing theprojection of the carrier member into one of the notches oi the linkmember, whereby to adjustably set thecarrier member at difierentdirections from the spindle.

8. In a record changing apparatus of the class described, wherein atdifierent times there are supported at their centers upon a shoulderedspindle, inpile formation and in groups of common diameter, records ofone or another diam- 2,271,001 supported at their centers upon ashouldered eter, a reciprocable'carrier member mounted to support attheir edges a group or records of one diameter, a guide member alongwhich said carrier member-slides, an abutment on said carrier member ofthe thickness or one record and against which the edge or the lowermostrecord of the pile rests, means connecting theguide member and thecarrier member for biasing the carrier member away from the spindle, amechanism acting against the tension of said biasing means for movingthe carrier member towards least one of the members of the connectionfor selectively displacing the projection of the car- 'rier member intoone of the notches of the linkv member, whereby to adjustably set thecarrier member at difierent directions from the spindle, and a pin andslot arrangement formed respectively between the carrier member and thelast named means, whereby the periodic movement of the carrier memberfor record discharging and return, does not alter the setting of thecarrier member in its selected spaced relationship with respectto thespindle. I

HENRY JAMES FORTUNE.

